shy one: mali
Francisco Espregueira
Shy One steps into a new chapter with Mali, her long-awaited second album on Touching Bass, and it feels like everything finally clicks into place. Named after her given name, the record carries a sense of arrival—personal, musical, and spiritual. Over the years, the London artist has built her voice through DJ sets, NTS Radio broadcasts, and releases on labels like Eglo and Rhythm Section, always moving fluidly across genres rooted in Black music. On Mali, those threads come together with clarity. The influence of pirate radio, broken rhythms, soul and jazz is still there, but now it feels more distilled. More hers.
Across ten tracks, Shy One leans into storytelling with a lighter touch and deeper intent. Collaborations with artists like George Riley, Steve Spacek, Private Joy and James Massiah add a wide range of possibilities. “Moonlight” glows with soft soul energy, while “16 Hours” captures the loose, hazy magic of late-night movement. Behind the scenes, the presence of Tony Nwachukwu on mixing duties helps shape a cohesive flow, while the Touching Bass platform gives the project room to breathe. Mali unfolds gently, guided by instinct and supreme taste, carrying the weight of experience with a calm, confident ease. Available on vinyl. One of THE releases of the year.